Author Julie Murphy says that Dolly Parton changed her life in a tribute to the “Here You Come Again” singer’s death.
Videos by Suggest
Murphy is the author of the 2015 young adult novel Dumplin’. The novel’s protagonist, Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dickson is a big fan of Parton. In 2018, a film version of the film was released by Netflix. Parton worked with producer Linda Perry to create the film’s soundtrack.
In an Instagram post, Murphy shared a series of pictures of her and Parton during the process of making the film.
“Dolly Parton changed my life. In big ways and small. The fact that I am far from alone in saying that is a testament to the human being she was,” Murphy wrote.
She went on to share that she is still “in shock” about Parton’s death, but still shared a story she has occasionally shared about her and Parton’s first meeting.
“The first time I met Dolly was in Sherman Oaks, California in Linda Perry’s studio. We were doing an interview for CMT about the making of the Dumplin’ soundtrack and it was the first chance I had to hear the songs before the movie released,” she wrote.
“Dolly and I did our interview in a tiny converted pool house. Between nerves and the lack of air conditioning, I was pouring sweat. Dolly stopped the interview and asked for her makeup bag. She proceeded to powder my nose for me and tell me that she still gets nervous too. Dolly was a girl’s girl down to her bones.”
In closing, Murphy wrote “I will always love you, Dolly. I’m sending my deepest condolences to her family and team, who she treated like family. We are all so lucky to have been in her orbit.”
In addition to pictures of herself, Parton and the film’s stars Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald, Murphy shared pictures from Perry’s studio of Parton singing, a note from the singer after the film’s release, a clip of them listening to music, the first page of the book Dumplin’ and Parton memorabilia from the film’s set.